It is undoubtedly the most romantic day of the year, and with 14 weddings booked for St Valentine's Day, the staff at York Register Office had their work cut out. VICKY SPAVIN reports

THE office is open for business as early as 9.20am, and it's first things first - the confetti. "We do a good side line in confetti," admits deputy registrar Jennifer Ward. "You'd be surprised at the amount we sell. We had so many people asking if we had any confetti that we now go to the cash and carry and buy it in."9.23am: there's been a change of plan to wedding number one. "Everyone sends a 'wish list' in saying how they want their wedding to be done but they've changed their minds at the last minute," says superintendent registrar Robert Livesey. "I think it's something to do with the size of her dress." 9.25am: Neil McCartney and Amanda Duckworth had opted to be interviewed together before the ceremony but will now be arriving separately. Neil, of Lancashire, who has arrived in the nick of time, has been on a short shopping spree. "I forgot my trouser belt and my camera so I had to go and buy new ones in town," he admits. 9.30am: the bride arrives and the first wedding of the day gets under way. In the waiting room downstairs, guests begin to congregate for the 10 o'clock slot: Katie Yeoman and Neil Price. The groom, however, is nowhere to be seen. "He's forgotten a very vital form," explains 'Uncle' Dave Cree. "He's gone chasing down the road because it's in his dad's car."9.45am: a rather breathless Neil returns with 'wish list' in hand. "I was doing a runner," he laughs as he and his bride-to-be of Haxby are ushered in for their 'interview' - a chance for the deputy registrar to go over the imminent ceremony and calm any nerves.10.08am: Mr and Mrs Price seal their marriage with a kiss as the crowd gives them a round of applause. 10.31am: couple number four David Ward and Jennifer Harton make a dash for the waiting room. "Let's get in and hide," says Jennifer. 10.48am: the 10.30am slot, Mark Brownless and Janine Mason, have tied the knot. "You've got lipstick on your face," says Janine, affectionately wiping Mark's face as they make their way down the stairs. 10.56: David and Jennifer are making their vows, but nerves are getting the better of them. "The best thing to do when someone starts laughing is just to smile," says Robert. "If you try to be serious it makes them worse."11.16am: groom number five, Stephen Clark, is on the premises. "I nearly forgot the ring," he says, tapping his pocket reassuringly. Stephen and Jennifer Radford have chosen Bette Midler's Wind Beneath My Wings for their ceremony. "A lot of them choose Wet Wet Wet's Love Is All Around," says Robert. "But we've had all sorts - Abba's I Do, I Do, I Do, The Fugees' Ready Or Not and A Perfect Day. If people don't bring a CD, then they get Michael Ball."11.31am: Jennifer sweeps into the office with bridesmaids in tow. "I can't believe this has broken," says bridesmaid Kelly as she tries to repair her bouquet. 11.50am: "Can I use a phone," a woman calls out, dashing along the downstairs corridor. "It's urgent. We were meant to pick something up and we haven't." The missing item turns out to be her brother.11.55am: Kevin Pugh and Sina Jon, of York, hand over their ceremony fee. "At the moment by law we have got to take the fee on the day," explains Robert. "But hopefully the law is going to change."12.40pm: "Best of luck mate," says best man Jason O'Dwyer as he pats Alan Sorrell, of Bell Farm Avenue, on the back. It is Jason, however, who needs the luck. "I'm more nervous than he is," he admits. "I haven't got a speech planned. But at least I know what the bride and groom are called."12.50pm: Nicola Gibson makes a dash for the waiting room, determined to make Alan wait for a peek at her dress. 12.56pm: Alan sits at the front of the office awaiting his bride. "Look at Alan's socks," someone calls out and all eyes, cameras and video recorders focus on the offending garments. 1.25pm: it's been a long day for 19-year-old Emma Horsfall of Tang Hall. "I was awake at 4am," says the bride-to-be as she waits nervously downstairs for her call. 1.27pm: Emma and husband-to-be Chris Booth, 18, wait outside the upstairs office. The guests, however, are still downstairs. "We actually wanted to walk in with our guests," Emma points out, as Robert dashes back down the stairs to put right the mistake. 1.40pm: brew's up! Robert and Jennifer take a well-earned tea break and assess the day's events so far. "Painters and decorators must be incurable romantics," says Jennifer. "We've got three or four of them today."1.59pm: dressed in a wine-coloured Chinese dress, Nicola Smith makes her entrance into the upstairs office. "Come on," she whispers to husband-to-be Andrew Spence as he struggles with the door. 2.20pm: Helen King, of Malton, is shaking. "I'm feeling very emotional," she admits. So why have Helen and Tony White picked Valentine's Day for their wedding? "He wouldn't remember the anniversaries if it was any other day," laughs Helen. 2.24pm: Tony makes his entrance with a quick grin for the congregation. In the back row, the female guests are comparing jackets. 2.56pm: there are only four people attending the penultimate wedding - the bride, Hilary Kemp, the groom, Gary Cunningham, and grandma and grandad. "It's a secret wedding," explains Gary, of Slough. 3.15pm: with 15 minutes to go, the final couple are nowhere to be seen. 3.20pm: two men dash into the office. "I'm looking for a wedding," one explains. The wedding in question is being conducted by office staff at another venue. "I'm afraid it was at 3pm," says Robert. Seconds later, however, he is chasing after them: "You'll be just in time - it's 3.30pm at The Grange."3.45pm: the last wedding of the day - Neil Taylor and Jill Marlow, of Wolverhampton - is over. And Robert makes his way home for a well-earned drink.

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